| Haven't You Had Enough? Have you just about had it with sneaky spyware installations, pesky third-party cookies from big advertisers and marketers, and the unending blizzard of popups and popunders from web sites? Haven't you really had just about enough of these obnoxious, invasive practices that violate your privacy?
Then it's time you said, "Enough is Enough!"
Enough is Enough! is a lockdown utility for Internet Explorer 5 and 6. When you install Enough is Enough!, it will:
* Lock down your Internet and Restricted sites zones with restrictive settings for dangerous options like ActiveX, Java, scripting, and a few others.
* Severely restrict the use of cookies (but not completely disable them for trusted web sites or for single session use).
* Disable AutoComplete and the Profile Assistant, and clear existing AutoComplete data.
* Disable several Advanced settings, including Install on Demand and Third-party Browser Extensions.
* Install Microsoft's IE PowerTweaks WebZone Accessory, putting two new options on your Tools menu: "Add to Trusted Zone" and "Add to Restricted Zone."
See the ReadMe for complete details on the settings Enough is Enough! configures for Internet Explorer.
You can download Enough is Enough! here:
»www.staff.uiuc.edu/~ehowes/enough.zip
- or -
»www.staff.uiuc.edu/~ehowes/enough.exe
You can peruse the full ReadMe.txt for Enough is Enough! here:
»www.staff.uiuc.edu/~ehowes/enough.txt
With these new Internet Explorer settings you will be protected from the more dangerous elements of the web without having to worry about putting known nasties into your Restricted sites zone. You'll be protected from rogue crapware installations (e.g., Gator, BonziBuddy, Lop.com, and the like). You won't be accepting cookies from direct marketing outfits who seek to monitor and track your travels around the Net. You'll also put an end to annoying, useless popups at most sites by default.
In short, Internet Explorer will start behaving as YOU want it to behave, not as direct marketers and spyware pushers want it to behave. What you do with Enough is Enough! is enforce your very own "opt-in" policy: no web sites get to use permanent cookies, ActiveX, Java, JavaScript and other dangerous Internet Explorer options until you explicitly give them the go-ahead by putting those sites into your Trusted zone.
** Caution! **
A word of warning: The severely restrictive IE settings that Enough is Enough! uses will break many web sites until you add them to your Trusted sites zone.
Keep in mind that you can always tweak IE's settings through the Internet Options box after installing Enough is Enough!
And of course, Enough is Enough! installs Microsoft's Power Tweaks WebZone Accessory so that you can quickly and conveniently add sites you visit frequently (and which require permanent cookies or certain active content) to the Trusted sites zone.
** More than Enough? **
Enough is Enough! isn't for everyone, however. If taking the time to add sites to your Trusted sites zone is too inconvenient and frustrating for you to deal with, then Enough is Enough! might be "more than enough" for you -- it might be too much.
There are also several uninstallation options, so you're not stuck with Enough is Enough! by any means, should you decide that it's not for you (see the "Uninstallation" section below for more details).
If Enough is Enough! isn't for you, you might consider downloading and installing IE-SPYAD. IE-SPYAD will add a long list of known advertisers, marketers, and crapware pushers to your Restricted zone, giving you a large measure of protection from the nastier elements of the web while still allowing you to keep your Internet zone settings fairly loose.
You can download IE-SPYAD here:
»www.staff.uiuc.edu/~ehowes/resource.htm
Note that Enough is Enough! doesn't have its own page on my web site yet. I wanted to see how useful folks thought it was before I made it available for general download. So, I'd appreciate any comments, questions, or other feedback you might have.
All the best,
Eric L. Howes
eburger68@myrealbox.com |
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 cjsmithPremium
join:2000-11-03
Villa Rica, GA | This is perfect Eric, as I was just discussing this very same issue in regard to locking down IE6. I am planning on using this program on my daughters login on my machine.
Then of course this shall give me some time in testing the program as well. I shall have to add to her trusted zones, as necessary.
Great gizmo, thank you. [:)] |
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 avi8or$Dell's Rock Other's DroolPremium
join:2001-12-01
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ | reply to eburger68
LOL,
If I found spyware on my PC, I'd have it in the Supreme Court..
TOMZ VS COMPANY
-TOMZ
--
My website is:THE JUNK DRAWER |
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 RdaxPremium
join:2001-05-18
El Dorado, AR | reply to eburger68
I have d/l'ed more programs from reading these forums in the last 6 days than I have in the last 6 months. With cookiewall, NAV, ad_aware, pop-up stopper, and ZA, I feel I am pretty much protected now. |
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| reply to eburger68
Thanks Eric for the time you put into such projects. Even tho these pretty much mirror what has always been suggested here as....secure settings....for IE, this will make it easier and possibly protect users that do not wish\want to understand the meaning behind the selection.
Thanks again 
One quick question after reviewing most of the imported reg files that are part of the install.
Concerning your....rz-set.reg imported file(realizing these are just personal choices)....wouldn't disable be better for downloads ?
; ---------
; Downloads
; ---------
; Font download
; "1604"=dword:00000003
; File Download
; "1803"=dword:00000003
said by rz-set.reg:
Note: this file set Security options for the Restricted sites zone.
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\4]
; ---------
; Downloads
; ---------
; Font download
; "1604"=dword:00000000
; File Download
; "1803"=dword:00000000
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| OzarkMan:
You asked:
said by OzarkMan:
Concerning your....rz-set.reg imported file(realizing these are just personal choices)....wouldn't disable be better for downloads ?
Yeah, they probably would, but notice that I've commented out those settings. Enough is Enough! doesn't configure those settings. I left them in the .REG files for folks who want to customize the .REG files. I left the settings as Enabled (dword:00000000) instead of Disabled (dword:00000003) just in case I somehow forgot to comment them out -- I didn't want to break people's downloads.
Sometime in the near future I will be adding a section to the ReadMe on customizing Enough is Enough! If you know what you're doing, tweak away, though!
One important note: I just uploaded a new version of Enough is Enough! No changes to the actual program or Registry settings, but I did make some corrections to the ReadMe and added a bit more info in some places. The copy of the ReadMe file that I link to in my original post reflects these changes and additions.
Best,
Eric L. Howes |
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| reply to eburger68
.
.
Is there a Netscape version in the wind ??
PM
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.
--
I'd rather learn with Linux then suffer with Micro$oft |
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| Post Modern:
You asked:
said by Post Modern:
Is there a Netscape version in the wind ??
Not at the moment. I'm familiar with NS 4.x settings, and most of them are stored in the PREFS.JS file, which is much harder to modify using a batch file approach. I'm not familiar at all with the NS 6.x/Mozilla 0.9x series of browsers.
Also, many of the problems I described in the original post are specific to IE (ActiveX controls, for instance) and really don't affect NS users.
Best,
Eric L. Howes |
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 R2R NotPremium,MVM
join:2000-09-18
Long Beach, CA
kudos:1 | reply to eburger68
Excellent idea, Eric. This incorporates a lot of what we have learned into one 'program'. This makes setting up multiple computers much easier.
I will try installing this on a few later today.
I have not read enough about it, but did you incorporate Martin's Host file as well?
Thanks. |
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| reply to eburger68
said by eburger68:
* Install Microsoft's IE PowerTweaks WebZone Accessory, putting two new options on your Tools menu: "Add to Trusted Zone" and "Add to Restricted Zone."
Or install my Trust Setter script which puts "Add to Trusted" and "Add to Restricted" icons on your IE toolbar. 
Still working on a program that will let you specify which zone to put the site in. The Script Sentry beta has taken over my development time for the moment.
--
-Jason Levine
»www.jasons-toolbox.com/ |
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| reply to eburger68
How is this any different then setting up a machine policy and making changes to the IE5/6 settings yourself?
If you really want to "lock down" a PC learn how to use Poledit, regedit, and the existing features of your browser effectively. Load up TweakUI and do even more, what's that TweakUI comes embedded in MS OS's now...what a shock!
A person not knowing is one thing but buying into spoon fed "enhancements" of features you already have access to is sort of silly. I'm not saying write your own firewall, I'm saying learn about your OS and examine the features and options you already have control over. Heck a person good with poledit can do WONDERS in locking down a machine, and that process/method is REALLY tight with the OS. I am consistently amazed at how quick we are to run to apps so that we don't have to learn the OS. |
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 LT4 GSSnake EaterPremium
join:2001-12-23
Angels .5 | reply to eburger68
[QUOTE=eburger68]Have you just about had it with sneaky spyware installations, pesky third-party cookies from big advertisers and marketers, and the unending blizzard of popups and popunders from web sites? Haven't you really had just about enough of these obnoxious, invasive practices that violate your privacy?
Then it's time you said, "Enough is Enough!"
I personally, love collecting the valuable stuff you thread in here. I thank you, my cat thanks you, my neighbors thank you, my barber thanks you...........seriously, thank you Professor!!
--
"Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way, Life Begins @180mph! |
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| reply to eburger68
said by eburger68:
* Install Microsoft's IE PowerTweaks WebZone Accessory, putting two new options on your Tools menu: "Add to Trusted Zone" and "Add to Restricted Zone."
i had downloaded the IE PowerTweaks WebZone Accessory from microsoft. But i wasn't able to add sites to my trusted & restricted zone by clicking on Tools menu: "Add to Trusted Zone" and "Add to Restricted Zone." !
i have IE6 installed.
i think they work with IE5.
Maybe i did not install them correctly.
any comments ? |
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 martiColor outside the linesPremium,MVM
join:2001-12-14
Houston, TX
kudos:5 | The IE Power Tweaks work fine with IE6. Many of us are using them without problems. Are you saying that you don't have the option to "add to trusted zone nor restricted zone?" In other words, those menu items are not listed in the tools menu?
--
SBCGlobal, EnterNet 1.5 PPPoE s/w, Win98SE, Linksys NIC |
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R2R NotPremium,MVM
join:2000-09-18
Long Beach, CA
kudos:1 | reply to eburger68
Eric, you may want to include the buttons that I created as well -- eh, if you have not already!
I believe there is slight, but significance difference between Jason's Trustsetter and the Web Accessories. Trustsetter adds ALL protocols and ALL sub-domains to the Trusted sites, whereas the other only adds the present sub-domain and protocol.
These both work in IE6. |
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 jaykaykay4 Ever YoungPremium,MVM
join:2000-04-13
Scottsdale, AZ
kudos:19
 ·Speakeasy
| reply to eburger68
Has anyone else had a problem using the Google Tool Bar when disabling Third-party Browser Extensions? Aren't there some reasons to keep this option checked?
--
JKKAge is a very high price to pay for my maturity. If I can't stay young, I can at least stay immature! |
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horsemouthPlease Clarify My CSPPremium
join:2002-03-13
canada | reply to Jason Levine
I am getting alert from nav on your Trust setter script is this normal? |
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| reply to AnonProxy
.
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"I am consistently amazed at how quick we are to run to apps so that we don't have to learn the OS."
That's what made Micro$oft popular - you can be a dummy, and still use it, all you have to do is point to what you want and click.
It's sort of like a generation of 'special needs' computer users.
PM
.
.
--
I'd rather learn with Linux then suffer with Micro$oft
[text was edited by author 2002-04-10 15:47:34] |
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| reply to R2
R2:
You wrote:
said by R2:
Excellent idea, Eric. This incorporates a lot of what we have learned into one 'program'. This makes setting up multiple computers much easier.
That was the whole idea. I'm actually surprised someone hadn't done this before (maybe someone has -- just haven't seen it yet?). It's a quick and easy way to lock down IE with a minimum of fuss. As I said, it's not for everyone, though.
said by R2:
I have not read enough about it, but did you incorporate Martin's Host file as well? ... You may want to include the buttons that I created as well -- eh, if you have not already!
There's plenty of room in the program for expansion. I wanted to get the basics down before adding on other things.
The HOSTS file is one possibility. I had actually forgotten that you'd done those buttons. Could you point me again to the thread(s) where you discussed those. Better yet, do you have some package that has all the necessary files/info?
I'll also have to take a look at Jason's Trustsetter. I have a copy -- just haven't played around with it yet. It does sound more useful than MS's limited PTWA package.
Best,
Eric L. Howes |
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| reply to AnonProxy
AnonProxy:
You wrote:
said by AnonProxy:
How is this any different then setting up a machine policy and making changes to the IE5/6 settings yourself?
For the most part it isn't much different from what you can do yourself. The advantage here is that the installer you do it all in one go. Of course, the installer's rather inflexible -- you get one secure configuration, not a range of options.
said by AnonProxy:
A person not knowing is one thing but buying into spoon fed "enhancements" of features you already have access to is sort of silly. I'm not saying write your own firewall, I'm saying learn about your OS and examine the features and options you already have control over. Heck a person good with poledit can do WONDERS in locking down a machine, and that process/method is REALLY tight with the OS. I am consistently amazed at how quick we are to run to apps so that we don't have to learn the OS.
Ideally folks would take the time to learn their PC's, their applications, and their OS's. And I'm hoping that some users of "Enough is Enough" might be intrigued enough to take a look "under the hood" and start investigating the settings that the installer modifies. But all too many folks find IE's settings too confusing and intimidating. In their view, computers ought to operate like any other consumer appliance in the house -- and they don't of course.
I'd actually been meaning to put together a utility like this for a long time, but I finally decided to do it yesterday after several things occurred.
First, I'd spent the previous night helping one of my students clean up her computer, and there was the usual assortment of spyware and marketing detritus on that box. That was not the first time I'd had to clean up someone's box after it had been trashed by pushy direct marketers. One box I recently saw was less than a year old and had been reduced to a state on near non-functionality. And that didn't happen because of any apps the owner had deliberately installed or configuration changes she had made (she didn't even know she could change the desktop resolution/screen area).
Second, in light of the recent spate of news articles about the alarming rise in obnoxious spyware pushers, I decided to disable all my "defenses" and go surfing.
I was appalled. It's been a long time since I've seen the Web as most folks see it, and I wasn't prepared for what happened: popups beyond belief, auto-installing toolbars and other programs, ActiveX controls upon cookies upon JavaScript bombs.
Now, I'd heard the horror stories from users and seen the aftermath on people's computers, but I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. (I guess I've been living a kind of sheltered existence behind my strict IE settings and AtGuard.) And I couldn't help but think: if people are actually putting up with this (and most folks are), it has to be because they either don't know what to do, or are too confused by the settings they confront when they do try to do something about it.
Once I saw what folks were dealing with, I decided to put together the utility. It was a spur of the moment decision and I finished the initial version in a few hours -- posted it the same night. And my own experiences yesterday afternoon on the web led directly to the name: "Enough is enough!"
It isn't for everyone, but it's a start. And maybe it'll help a few folks prevent their own PC's from being hijacked and used against them.
Best,
Eric L. Howes |
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